Helenium kanaria
Good Qualities:
Year 1:
Uniform stem length, sturdy stems, happy color!, some rebloom (though shorter stems); Heleniums are diehards here and I really like that they can be potentially treated as annuals; Long vase life, great stem length, very popular fall/late summer filler, excellent production in latter years.
Year 2:
Heavy branching; Yellow, tall; Excellent vase life, very productive.
Problems:
Year 1:
Bit of messy pollen shed after 5 days in the vase; Postharvest: Turns water with preservative cloudy in 1 day, not desirable cut flower; These are so easy to grow - but wind and toppling is a huge problem - so support is required to get a saleable crop; Can get too tall, can flush all at once - weed sequential pruning to stagger bloom.
Year 2:
Seemed to have more trouble with lodging than some other heleniums; Very tall, cut back at 12; to keep below 4', cut back immediately after first bloom, 2nd bloom in September at 29; possible.
Trial Data
Year 1
| Plants alive at end of summer (%) | Plants flowering (%) | Yield (stems/plant) | Stem Length (inches) | Market Appreciation Rating - Wholesale (1) | Market Appreciation Rating - Retail (1) | Market Appreciation Rating - Consumer (1) | Repeat Again Rating (1) | Ease of Cultivation Rating (1) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | 66.9 | 57.1 | 7.6 | 29.5 | 5.0 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 4.4 | 4.6 |
(1) 1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best. Market ratings are based on sales to wholesalers, retailers, or final consumers direct.
Year 2
| Yield (stems/plant) | Stem Length (inches) | Market Appreciation Rating - Wholesale (1) | Market Appreciation Rating - Retail (1) | Market Appreciation Rating - Consumer (1) | Repeat Again Rating (2) | Ease of Cultivation Rating (2) | Average Spacing (in2) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | 75 | 9.3 | 46.0 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 4.7 |
| Range of Responses | 0-100 | 3-15 | 30-60 | 4-0 | 3-4 | 3-4 | 3-5 | 4-5 |
(1) Data shown are from those respondents who harvested stems. Some respondents may not have harvested stems because they were too short. Flowering stems may be longer next year after plants are established. See comments section for more details.
(2) 1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best. Market ratings are based on sales to wholesalers, retailers, or final consumers direct.
Supplier
Here & Now Gardens (HN)
P.O. Box 6
Gales Creek, OR 97117
503-357-5774
FAX 503-357-3858
Comments:
Year 1:
Similar to Helenium magnificum; Postharvest: Lasted 6-7 days in Oasis preservative; Best vase life of all Heleniums, great clear yellow color.
Year 2:
The best cutting helenium - very little droop; Better vase life than Helenium manifolium.